Fire service reflects on a successful award-winning 2016

The service began the year with Trevor McIIwaine, a now retired group manager, being recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours, being awarded The Queen’s Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service.

Pictured is Braunstone Blues members with their award. (Photo: Loughborough Echo)

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service has started the year by reflecting on a successful 2016.

The service began the year with Trevor McIIwaine, a now retired group manager, being recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours, being awarded The Queen’s Fire Service Medal for Distinguished Service.

This is an award for members of fire and rescue services for the exhibition of conspicuous devotion to duty.

Trevor, who began his career as a firefighter at West Midlands Fire Service, joined Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service in 1998 and went on to spend 19 years there, working his way up to group manager.

His dedication to the service and his commitment to helping protect the local communities was recognised and he was awarded with the prestigious award which came at the delight of the service and Trevor himself.

Pictured is Trevor McIlwaine. (Photo: Loughborough Echo)

Trevor’s influence continued to bring more success in 2016, this time with the Fire Protection Group – part of the Better Business for All Partnership.

The team were invited, along with a number of the local authorities, to the Better Business for All National Awards Ceremony in Westminster, London.

For a number of years the Fire Protection Group has been heavily involved in the Better Business for All Partnership with other local authority regulators within Leicester and Leicestershire.

It has been committed to reducing the burden on businesses whilst carrying out their statutory duties.

The group went on to be awarded the judge’s prestigious ‘Leading the Way’ award, which is in recognition of what has been achieved by the partnership so far.

Pictured is the Fire Protection Group with the ‘Leading the Way’ award. (Photo: Loughborough Echo)

As if that wasn’t enough of an achievement, another award was won before the end of 2016 by the Braunstone Blues – a team made up of dedicated personnel from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, Leicestershire Police and East Midlands Ambulance Service.

The purpose is to help reduce demand and repeat calls on all the emergency services by supporting people in Braunstone to help themselves, by educating them about alternative support services.

The team managed to beat off competition to win the Best Emergency Services Partnership of the year at the Excellence in Fire and Emergency Awards 2016.

A spokesperson from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue said: “These successes have been celebrated widely across the service and we are hoping to build on these in 2017 – whether this may be through more awards being won, new initiatives being introduced or carrying on our fantastic prevention work.”